Hosiery and method of manufacture



Oct. 28, 1941. J. M. ALLEN HOSIERY AND METHOD OF MANUFICTURE Filed Deo.27, 1938 a l l l Patented Oct. 28, 1941 l John M. Auen, 'roi-nnen,oninrin, cnnnan, ns-

signor to Scott Williams. Incorporated,

Laconia, N. H.

Application December zr, 193s, serini un. 241,805 2z claims. (ci. ca-11s) This invention relates to knitted articles and more particularlyto the manufacture of homers'. and the principal objects of theinvention are to provide a sock or the like which will be of adistinctive type and which will be capable of economic manufacture underautomatic control.

The principal feature of the invention resides` in the novel manner offabricating a sock or the like with a series nf substantiallydiamondshaped areas inter-knit with substantially parallelogram-shapedareas extending in a zig-zag manner longitudinally of at least the ankleportion of a sock.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a needles b yfrom n u, B ouil of action inthe sucl ceeding courses, while pvely bringing down into action acorresponding group of needles d from B to C, thereby knitting in aparallelogram-shaped area l. Thus the commencement of knitting of thesection 4 takes place on the group of needles b, while the courseisknitonthe group of needles d.

The group of needles d are then raised out of action while the group bare brought simultaneously into action to knit a course al:ng the sideelevational view showing a sock fabricated in accordance with apreferred form ofthe present invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the sock shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a rear elevational view. Y

Figure 4 is a side elevational view of a sock incorporating amodification of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a preferred relationbetween the courses of the diamond-knit areas and intervening areas.

Figure 6 is -a view similar to Figure 5 illustrating a modiiiedarrangement of the courses connecting the diamond-knit areas.

Figure 7 is a diagrammatic plan representative of a cylindrical knittingmachine. A

In the application of the present invention to the knitting of the sockshown in Figures 1, 2 and 3, the upper portion from the commencement tothe point i may be knit in any desired or well known manner, and in thefollowing deiinition of steps in the knitting it will be assumed thatthe article being knitted passes downwardly within the cylinder ininverted form to that in which it is shown. When the point I is reachedsubstantially half of the full complement of needles, that is, from A toB representing the groups of needles c and d, are raised out of action,

Knitting then continues with the groups of needles a and b picking upone or more of the end needles during the successive courses until onlyone or more needles in the vicinity of D are in operation, therebyforming the triangular or semi-diamond area 2.

From the apex 3 a course is then knit along one tapering edge of theportion 2 to the point I, bringing into action. the group of needles brepresenting substantially one quarter of the full complement of needlesand a suitable vyarn change may be made and knitting then proceeds byprogressively picking up one or more of the tapered edge 5 -of the vareaIftothe point 3 and the group of needles a are dropped into action whilethe group b is again raised from action, and knitting is continued onthe group a to knit courses parallel with the remaining tapered edge ofthe triangular portion'l and one or more needlesof group a are picked upbetween D and A, while a corresponding number of needles are broughtdown into action of the groupcfromAtoC,sothatthelxi'stcourseoi.'

theareal'isknitwithsubstantiallyallofthe needles c and a yarn change maybe made in such course.

All of the needles are then raised out of action, with the exception ofone or more .adjacent the p'oint C, and knitting proceeds with areciprocating action and each successive course is lengthened bybringing down into action one or more needles of the groups c and d in abalanced manner until substantially one-half the full complement of.needles from A to B, including the groups c and d, are in action, andafter which knitting continues by progressively removing from action theneedles from A to C and B to C in the inverse order in which they ,werebrought into action untilonly one or more needles in the zone C are inaction, thereby forming the diamond-shaped area 8.

The 'group of needles d from dropped into action to knit a course 1along the tapered edge of the zone 8 and the knitting continues byprogressively picking up the needles d from C to B one or more for eachcourse and progressively dropping the group of needles b from B to Dinto action one or more to the course, so that when theparallelogram-shaped area I is completed in interknit relation to theareas 4 and 6, only the group of needles b will be in action.

The group of needles d are then simultaneously brought into action toknit a course along the tapered edge 9 of the area 8 and the entireneedles of both groups d and b are then lifted out of action, while 'thegroup c is brought down into ctoisthen' action from C to A to knit acourse along the tapering edge 'I' of the diamond-shaped area 8.

Knitting then continues by progressively lifting one or more needles cout of action from C to A during the subsequent courses, whileprogressively returning to action the group of needles a one or more ata time from A to D, thereby knitting the parallelogram-shaped area 8'.

All the needles are then raised out of action with the exception of oneor more in the zone D and knitting is then continued with areciprocating action, progressively dropping needles oi.' the groups aand b at the ends o1' the respective courses one or more` at a timeuntil both groups a and b are in action from A to B, and knitting thencontinues while the needles a and b are progressively raised out ofaction at the respective ends oi the courses in substantially theinverse order in which they were dropped into action until only one ormore needles in the zone D remainv in action, thereby forming thediamond-'shaped area I0 which is interknit with the tapering edges ofthe areas 8 and l.

The cycles of knitting are then repeated to rst knit theparallelogram-shaped areas Il and II', then the diamond-shaped area I2,then the parallelogram-shaped areas I3 and -I3' and nally thediamond-shaped area Il and parallelogram-shaped areas I5 and I5.

The pattern may be repeated as often as desired and may optionallyextend into the foot and yarn changes may bemade at any desired point sothat-desired colour combinations may be presented. Y

With the particular sequence of knitting operations dened it will benoted that the commencement course of each of the parallelogralnshapedareas extends along the sloping or taperededge oi? a diamond orsemi-diamond shaped area, and that the wales of the parallelogramshapedareas not only extend in inclined or diagonal relation to the walesofthe diamondshaped areas, but are also in angular relation to the walesof the adjacent parallelogramshaped areas, so that not only do theparallelogram-shaped areas themselves extend in a distinctive zig-zagpattern effect, but also the wales thereof, producing the eiect ofremarkable depth to the pattern, and providing enhanced resiliency andstrain distribution.

While I have shown a more or less squared or diamond formation, this maybe altered simply action one or more at a time for each course from C toA, while progressively returning the group of needles a into action fromA to D in the respective courses until the point 3' is reached when onlythe group of needles a will be in action.

This group a is then raised out of action while the group b is broughtdown into action from D to B to knit a course along the other taperingedge of the portion 2', and the group of needles b are then raised fromaction and the group of needles d from B to C brought down into action.Knitting then continues by progressively raising from action the needlesd from C to B one or more for each course, while the group of needles bare progressively returned to action one or more for each course from Bto D.

There are thus formed mating parallelogramshaped areas or segments I6and I6 on opposite sides of the tapered portion 2'.

The group of needles b are then raised from action and the group ofneedles d returned to I action from B to Cy to knit acourse along the Ytapering edge IS" of the area I6'- until the point I1 is reached whereall needles, with the exception of one or more in the zone C, are raisedout of action.

by reducing or increasing the number of needles brought into action orlifted from action at the ends oi' the respective courses, and it isdesirable -that uniformity in this respect be maintained throughout theknitting of the various areas, that is to say, should only one needle bedropped into action or raised from action during the knitting of the rstarea, the same procedure should be followed throughout the knitting ofthe various areas in order to obtain a balanced fabric.

In the modified form of the invention illustrated in Figures 4 and 6 theknitting of the zigzag areas is carried out on the straight.v This isaccomplished by knitting a course from the point -3 or apex of thetapering or semi-diamond por- Knitting then proceeds in the mannerdefined in connection with the diamond-shaped area 6 of Figure 1 byprogressively picking up one or more needles of thegroups c and d from Cto A and C to B in the respective courses until vboth groups c and d arein action, after which the groups of needles c and d are progressivelyraised from action in substantially the inverse order in which they weredropped into'action, thereby/ knitting in the square or diamond-shapedarea 6.

At the completion of knitting the area 6 one or more needles-in the zoneC may remain in operation and the group of needles d from C to B v arethen brought down into action to knit a course along the tapering edgeI8 of the area 6',

'and the group of needles b are then brought land the group of needles aare dropped into action from D to A and thev group of needles b areraised out of action. l

Knitting then continues on the group a by progressively raising thesefrom action from D to A one or more for each course, while the group ofneedles c are progressively returned to action one or more for eachcourse from A ,to C, thereby knittilnsg in the matingparallelogram-sliaped area The group of needles c are then raised fromaction'from C to A and a course is knit on the needles a from A to Duntil the point 3' is reached and all needles, with the exception of oneor two in the zone D, are raised from action, and knitting thencontinues with a reciprocating action in the manner defined inconnection with the diamond-shaped area I0 of Figure 1.

These cycles of knitting may then be repeated as often as may be desireduntil the heel and foot portion is reached, after which knitting mayproceed in a manneruwhich need not specincally referredto'herein.

cluding the zig-gagged parallelogram-shaped areas, will all besubstantially parallel.

It is also importantto notethat yin connection with both of theillustrated forms of the invention the knitting of the variousparallelogramshaped area is accomplished by retaining in action asubstantially uniform number of needles for each ycourse and in thepreferred form of theinvention this represents substantially one-quar- 4ter of the full complement of needles.

I am aware that minor changes may be made either in the sequence ornature of the steps exe'mpliiled herein within the spirit of the presentinvention and in certain cases I may, if desired. alternate the natureof the respective zig-zag or paralilogram-shaped areas either as tocolour, character or angular relation of the wales.

While I have shown and described the present invention in connectionwith hosiery, it is not to be restricted in this regard. The inventionis also capable of beingf carried out by knitting ma-` china of otherthan the circular or cylinder type l and a very desirable product isproduced. and it is to beparticularly noted in connection with the e.is' muur uncle-knit k'with squared' areas disposed in circinnferentiallyspaced rows in'diagonal progression longitudinally of the article,

the squared `areas oi onerow being odset'from the squared areas ofv anadjacent row inthe longitudinal direction of the article a distancesubstantially equal to one half the vdiagonal depth `of the squaredareas. and a series oi` rhomboid areas interknit between the adjacentsides .of the rows of squared' areas in Isig-sagy progressionlongitudinally. of said tubular article, each of. said rhomboid-shapedareas having its wales disposedinobtuse angular relation tothe adjacentwale or wales and to the adjacent squared areas.

'1. A tubular article knit with squared areas disposed in spaced rows indiagonal progression longitudinally of .the article, the squared areasof one row being offset from the squared areasv of an adjacent row inthe longitudinal direction of the articles distance substantially equalto onehalf the diagonal depth of the squared areas, and a'series otrhomboid areas interknit between the adjacent sides of the rows ofsquared areas in zig-zag progression longitudinally of said tubulararticle, said rhomboidshaped areas being interknit with the said squaredareasr with thewales of the alternate construction illustrated in Figure1 that the anguiar disposition of the wales relative to the interveningareas will impart an enhanced resillency to the product and will serveto eiflectivelyv distribute strains.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. Hosiery having substantially squared areas"y and rhomboid shapedareas knit therebetweenin zig-zag relation in separating relation to thesquared areas. v

2. A tubular article knit with square areas disposed incircumferentialiy spaced rows in diagonal progression, and connectedsolely by rhomboid areas knit therebetween.

3. A tubular article knit with squared areas disposed incircumferentially spaced rows in diagonal progression longitudinally ofthe article, the squared areas of onerow being onset from the squaredareas of an adjacent row in the longitudinal 'direction-of the article adistancesubstantially equal to one half the diagonal depth of thesquared areas. and a series of rhomboid areas interknit between theadjacent sides of the' rows of squared areas.

4. A tubular article knit with squared areas disposed incircumferentially spaced rows in diagonal Aprogression longitudinally o!the article, the squared areas of one row being otlsetfrom the squaredareas of an adjacent row in the lon- Igitudinal direction of the articlea distance substantially equal to one half the diagonal depth of thesquared areas, and a series of rhomboid areas interknit between theadjacent sides of the rows of squared areas in zig-zag progressionlongitudinally of said tubular article and having the rhomboid-shapedareas only parallel with each lotherand angularly related to the walesof the intermediate rhomboid-shaped areas in thev zigzag series. i v

8. A knitted article having spaced squared areas and rhomboid-shapedareas interposed q therebetween with the nrst course ofthe rhomboid areaknit .to one squared area and the last course knitto another of saidspaced squared areas.

9. A knitted hose having a series of rhomboidn shaped areas arranged inzig-zag progression at opposite sides of atleast the lowerl tubular legportion and denning therebetween rows of diamond-shaped areas disposedin longitudinal diareas interknit with parallelogram-shaped areascomprising rst knitting a tapered area', then knitting a course along atapered edge of the tapered area of a predetermined number of loops,then knitting to said course a series of successive courses havingsubstantially the same number of loops for each successive course whileprogressively eliminating and adding one or more loops at the ends ofeach successive course respectively to form a parallelogram-shaped areawith wales angularly related to the wales of the adjacent tapered area,continuing the last course of knitting to extend along the free taperededge of the parallelogram-shaped area, then knitting a course along themating tapered edge of the rst mentioned tapered area. then knitting tothe lastmentioned course and following the progressive sequences used inthe knitting of the first-mentioned parallelogram-.shaped area to form amating similarly knit area.'

12. A method of knittingr hosiery with tapered areas interknit withparallelogram-shaped areas comprising rst knittinga tapered area, thenknitting a course along a tapered edge of the tapered area of apredetermined number of wales angularly. to the wales of said loops,then knitting to sala course a series of I successive courses havingsubstantially the same 'first-mentioned parallelogram-shaped area toform a mating similarly knit area, continuing the last course ofknitting oi' the last-mentioned parallelogram-shaped area to extendalong the last knit edge thereof, then.` commencing with one or moreloops in a zone intermediately between the inclined edges of therespective parallelogram-shaped areas, knitting in a diamondshaped areabetweenthe said parallelogramshaped areas to connect with the last knitcourses thereof.

13. A method of knitting hosiery with rhombold-shaped areas comprisingknitting the lllllst course of a predetermined number oi' loops andknitting a series of successive courses thereto each ci' substantiallythe same number of loops at the end of one course and adding one or moreloops at the other end of a succeeding course to thereby taper therespectively opposite ends o! each rhomboid-shaped area insubstantially-uniform parallel relation.

14. A method of knitting hoisery with tapered areas interknit withrhomboid-shaped areas comprising ilrst knitting a tapered area, thenknitting a course along a tapered edge of the tapered area of apredetermined number oi.' loops, then knitting to said course a seriesof successive cours each of substantially the same number of loops bysuccessively eliminating and adding one or more loops at the end of eachsuccessive course respectively to uniformly taper opposite ends of eacharea and bring same into substantially parallel relation in theform o1 a'rhomboid-shaped area with wales angularly ilrst knitting in aprogressively tapered portion,

then knitting to one tapered edge thereof a parallelogram-shaped areaformed of a plurality of successive courses each ot a substantiallysimilar number oi loops and each oiiset from the preceding courseadistance equivalent to one or more loops, then at a spaced soneknitting a second mating parallelogram-sbaped area to the other taperededge of said tapered portion, then knitting in a tapering portionbetween the adjacent edge portions ot said parallelogram-shaped areas. A

16.Atubularknitarticleembodyingaserles o! parallelogram-shaped areasknit together in planes disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axisoi the article.

17. A knitted hose having a series of parallelogram-shaped areasinterknit together in planes disposed perpendicular to the longitudinaldimension of the hose and having Opposite parallel sides Ainterknlt withsubstantially squared areas.

18. A knitted hose having a series o! parallelogram-shaped areas knitinto at least the lower leg portion and knit together in parallel planesdisposed perpendicularly o f the longitudinal axis of the hose to extendin a zig-zag path longitudinally oi at least one side of the said legportion.

19. Hosiery having a series oi tour rhomboidshaped areas interknit witha single substantially squared area.

20. Hosiery having parallelogram shaped areas interknit withsubstantially squared areas, the combined width of two of theparallelogramshaped areas in the longitudinal direction o! the hosebeing equal to the diagonal depth of the squared area, the squared areasbeing onset from each other a distance equal to substantially one halfof their diagonal depth and knitted to and separated by saidparallelogram-shaped areas.

21. Hosiery having a series of four rhomboidshaped areas interknit witha single substantially squared area, each of said series ofrhombold-shaped areas being knit with their wales in angular relation tothe wales of the squared area.

22. Hosiery having a series oi i'our rhomboidshaped areas interknit witha single substantially squared area, each' of said series of fourrhomboid-shaped areas being knit with their wales in parallel relationto the wales of the squared area.

JOHN M, ALLEN.

